Prepaid cards for direct payments
If you receive a direct payment you can use a prepaid card to help you manage the services you get. This means less hassle for you because you won’t have to send us bank statements.
Receiving your direct payment
We’ll set up a prepaid card account for you. Your direct payment as agreed in your support plan will be paid in advance straight into the account. You can use the account to pay for services that meet your needs.
If you need to pay for some of your care, you’ll have to pay this money into the prepaid card account. The payment from us won’t be enough to manage your needs.
How does the prepaid card account work?
Your account will have a prepaid card linked to it, like a card you would get from your bank. You can use the account for:
- direct debits
- bank transfers
- online and telephone payments.
You will be able to manage your account through the online system, by telephone banking and by using the helpline. You can also nominate a trusted person to jointly manage the account with you.
What are the benefits of using a prepaid card?
You won’t need to send us bank statements anymore, and you can access everything online.
Setting up your prepaid card account
We will need to do a quick identity check on you to make sure your address and National Insurance Number are right. After the identity check is done, you’ll get your card within 5 working days.
The customer guidance on setting up a prepaid card account will tell you all you need to know about how to set up your prepaid card account.
Who can get a prepaid card?
All customers who get a direct payment can ask to have a prepaid card account. A prepaid card account will be offered to all new customers who will be managing a large direct payment or who may have difficulty in providing us with their quarterly monitoring returns.
If you would like to change the way you get your direct payment, contact us on 01332 640773, at homecarecharging@derby.gov.uk, or Text Relay 18001 01332 640773. BSL Signing Service https://www.derby.gov.uk/signing-service/